PREAMBLE
A lot can be done to patch a few holes, sign placeholders for the few prospects close to Chicago, and build a team that will begin an uptick toward respectability. Younger players need a chance to prove whether they are MLB caliber players, and I would like the Sox to start keeping their best players unless they are really blown away by a package, which I don't expect under La Russa Getz.
MANAGER
For the rumored candidates, I prefer Will Venable or George Lombard. Would have liked to have seen Willie Harris given a legitimate shot. Regardless of who is hired, I want the Manager to have final say over all coaches, and not have permanent hand me down coaches as has been the case starting with Don Cooper.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
Non-tender everyone except Andrew Vaughn. Andrew is a sunk cost, but has a slight chance for upside. He's not blocking anyone, and don't need any more mid 30s guys clogging up the roster.
$8.3M DEAD MONEY
Decline Moncada ($5.0M) and Stassi ($0.5M). Also paying Liam Hendriks ($1.0M), Brebbia ($1.5M) and Maldonado ($0.25M)
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS:
- Sign Flexen (Actually earned $2.75M in incentives in 2024) - Dependable, hope they sign him.
- Pass on Soroka unless a low cost contract ($1M).
- Hard Pass on Clevinger.
FREE AGENTS - Waiting for additional information over the next 3-4 weeks to get a better feel for the FA market.
- 2B Gleyber Torres ($12M X 2 or 3 years) - Need to overpay to attract him, hot postseason may put him out of reach.
- SS Amed Rosario ($4.0M) - May not get many other offers, has position flexibility at 2B and corner OF when desperate. Don't think Montgomery is ready opening day, though may be later in 2025.
- RF/LF Ramon Laureano ($12M X 2 or 3 years) - Another overpay as other teams may want him. Atlanta can Arb 4 him for about $6M, but from what I read he is a likely non-tender. Prefer him with a decent glove and decent bat vs. a better bat with a marginally better glove than Sheets. Expect the Sox to sign someone like Grichuk.
TRADES
I didn't like the trades La Russa / Getz made since August 2023. The trade deadline was a complete shit show. Trading Mena for Fletcher still doesn't make sense. The Sox keep getting back guys teams are looking to waive. Hahn was a better trader, which I didn't think would be possible, but so it goes. The only trade I'd like to see if they can salvage something for Benintendi over the next 12-18 months, even if just for salary relief if they are actually going to spend the money productively.
SUMMARY
$104.0M Total Payroll = [Dead Money $8.3M + Position Players $72.1M + Pitchers $23.6M]
$72.1M Position Players
- Starting Lineup $68.9M: C Quero ($0.8M); 1B Vaughn ($6.4M); 2B Torres ($12.0M); 3B Ramos ($0.8M); SS Rosario ($4.0M); LF Benintendi ($17.1M); CF Robert ($15.0M); RF Laureano ($12.0M); DH /1B Vargas ($0.8M).
- Bench $3.2M: C Lee ($0.8M); 2B/3B Sosa ($0.8M); 2B/SS Baldwin ($0.8M); LF/CF/RF Fletcher ($0.8M).
$23.4M Pitching Staff
- Starters / Swing $10.4M: Flexen ($3.5M); Crochet ($2.9M); Cannon/Martin/Thorpe/Burke/Bush ($0.8M each).
- Bullpen $13.2M: Going to rely on Bannister/Katz judgement in terms of picking up 1-2 guys who can eat 1-2 + innings, perhaps 1 or 2 projects to pair with their current league minimum guys like Berroa, Varland, Iriarte, Nastrini, Pallette, Schuster, Eder and others. Would really help the W/L record if they can solidity the 7-8-9 inning, which they did a better job the final month albeit against weaker competition.
